[1989-04-18-AJPW] Jumbo Tsuruta vs Stan Hansen

[Kadaveri]

This is the match to crown the first Triple Crown Champion. Hansen's entrance is awesome, whole section of the crowd flees from his path lest they get bullroped. Jumbo is on top for most of the open section of the match working holds and just generally having a slight wrestling edge over Hansen who seems to get a bit afraid of going toe to toe with him. This pisses Hansen off and he decides to turn this into a brawl. Jumbo fights back with some really good chop but is not coming out well most of the time. They end up with a brawl on the outside where Hansen wallops Jumbo with a chair busting him open.

 

Hansen just turns into such a bully at this point taking advantage of Jumbo's situation to beat him down. Really good heat segment here with Hansen going through stomps, punches and even a punch from the top rope to Jumbo's already cut forehead. He eventually goes for the lariat but Jumbo dodges it and Hansen gets thrown neck first onto the rope that stuns him. Jumbo quickly pins him for the 3 count before Hansen can react and there you have it, the first Triple Crowd Champion! Hansen is absolutely livid with how he just lost and is berating the referee and then goes on a rampage attacking stewards and storms out of the building. Jumbo's win does seem a bit lucky so I assume this a feud that's gonna get rekindled soon.

 

***1/2

[RingoPlaysDrums]

Slow pace to this one. Some solid stuff but not a lot to write home about. I did like some of the strike/slap exchanges and I did like the finish which features Hansen going for the lariat to end things. Jumbo ducks and Hansen charges into the ropes, allowing Jumbo to roll him up for a flukey three. These two had previously had matches without finishes so this was a smart way to finally do a finish. Jumbo wins the belts but Hansen is coming for him.

[Superstar Sleeze]

NWA International Champion Jumbo Tsuruta vs PWF & United National Champion Stan Hansen - AJPW 4/18/89

I foolishly watched the match from two days before again. I was watching thinking goddamn this is a heated, stand & bang brawl, oh great they are bringing in the chairs again. Then they started doing the spots I remembered like Hansen injuring his side and Jumbo Lariating the post. I was like this is perfect a carbon copy of the 4/16 match with a proper finish was my dream for the Unification. Then it ended in a double countout and I realized I had watched the same match twice. Parv I feel you. 

I have now seen the match proper and this is a definite comedown from the 4/16 match. There are some heated moments but they sprinkled throughout as opposed to the whole thing being kickass. There is a little stand & bang before Jumbo takes it to a double wristlock then a headscissors. They work holds at the beginning. Jumbo works the headscissors and cravat. Hansen works the front chancery and the chinlock. Hansen brutally gets out of the Cravat with stomps to the head. I know there was a Jumbo high knee in there somewhere for the first highspot. Hansen is the first one to gain a real advantage. Standard Hansen grind it out offense. Jumbo sprinkles in some great elbows but it is mostly Hansen. I really liked that symmetry of the two transition spots they both involved missing charges into the buckles. Hansen missed wildly with a Bionic Elbow and took a crazy bump to the floor. Jumbo did a great job working over his left side. Lots of hard, stiff shots and an abdominal stretch for good measure. Hansen tried to tuck tail and run, but Jumbo gave chase and brought him back. Now it is Jumbo turn. He runs hard into the buckles ala Bret and ricochets off into a Back Suplex. Hansen gets two. He drops a wicked knee. Jumbo powder. Hansen smashes him with elbows and a chair and somewhere in all that busts Jumbo open. He works the cut great. All his strikes even busting out a middle drop fist drop are against the cut. He hits a piledriver. It looks like he has the match in hand. He winds up for the Western Lariat and Jumbo sidesteps him, he hits the ropes full speed and repels backwards. Jumbo dives on him! 1-2-3 TO BECOME THE FIRST TRIPLE CROWN CHAMPION! History has been made! Hansen drops an elbow and the Lariats the shit out of some Young Boy to get his heat back. 

I dont mind the finish at all, in fact I thought it was quite creative. I like finishes like this leaves it open for rematches and protects Hansen. I thought 4/16 was the most entertaining, bust ass match, but this was still pretty good once Hansen hits the buckles and they do a Jumbo then Hansen control segment matche picks up a lot. It is both historic and very good so a must watch for any Puroresu fan. ***3/4